Canada Growth Summit 2024: Fixing productivity once and for all

Jean Paul (JP) Gladu is currently Principal of Mokwateh, and previously served as the President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) from September 2012 until April 2020.

Anishinaabe from Thunder Bay JP is a member of Sand Pont First Nation located on the eastern shores of Lake Nipigon, Ontario. JP completed a forestry technician diploma in 1993, obtained an undergraduate degree in forestry from Northern Arizona University in 2000, holds an Executive MBA from Queens University and the ICD.D from Rotman School of Management University of Toronto. JP has over 30 years of experience in the natural resource sector. His career path includes work with Indigenous communities and organizations, environmental non-government organizations, industry and governments from across Canada.

Currently, JP serves on the board of Suncor, Institute for Corporate Directors, Broden Mining, First Nations Major Projects Coalition Advisory Centre and is Chair of Canadas Forest Trust and the Boreal Leadership Champions. He previously served on the Board of Ontario Power Generation, Noront Resources and past Chair of the Mikisew Group of Companies. He is a senior fellow with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and served as the Chancellor of St. Paul’s University College Waterloo from 2017 to 2020. His previous appointments include Canadian Electricity Association Public Advisory Panel, Colleges and Institutes Canada (previously ACCC), the Northern Policy Institute, Canadian Foundation for Economic Education, advisory member to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, a committee member to the Ontario Provincial Forest Policy Committee. In 2014, he was identified as a Diversity 50 Board Ready Candidate from the Canadian Board Diversity Council and a recipient of the Community Service Award – Transformation Awards from Diversity Magazine.

JP is an accomplished public speaker with countless engagements not only across Canada but internationally as he shares the challenges and successes of Indigenous business and the growing Indigenous economy in Canada today.
As a father to his daughter Chloe, along with a passion for his community, his culture and traditions; JP brings the past, present and future to the table, moving non-Indigenous and Indigenous business toward sustainable partnerships and shared economic prosperity.

Specialties: Leader, excels at understanding people and values, in-depth and skilled negotiator, financial sourcing, proposal development, building confidence in others, strong work ethic, excellent communication skills (written and verbal) and strategist with a long-view.

Michael is a renowned television anchor and reporter, whose broadcasting career has spanned more than two decades of covering some of the most challenging news stories in real time. In addition to being the face of CPAC’s live programming, he hosts the channel’s nightly political round-up, PrimeTime Politics, and is the first Filipino-Canadian male to anchor a national newscast in Canada. In 2023, Michael was recognized with a Canadian Screen Award for his work anchoring a breaking news special on the Ottawa occupation in February 2022.

Prior to joining CPAC in 2022, Michael spent 12 years as a host and anchor with CBC News Network. Before that, he was a reporter with CTV British Columbia and CityNews Toronto.

Murad Al-Katib, President, CEO and Board member of AGT Food and Ingredients Inc. An international agri-food, strategic business and financial thinker, Murad founded AGT Foods in 2001, building a Canadian start-up into a global billion-dollar value-added, plant-based protein company supplying pulses, staple foods and ingredients to customers around the globe.

Murad was born and raised in a small rural community, Davidson, Saskatchewan, born to Turkish immigrant parents. Murad completed a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm) with Distinction in Finance and Organizational Strategy at the University of Saskatchewan and a Master of International Management with great Distinction from Thunderbird School of Global Management (Arizona State University). His career began in the public service with the Government of Canada and then as a founding director of the Saskatchewan Government’s international trade and export development agency the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP).

Murad has a varied experience in board roles including appointments to the Industry Strategy Council of the Government of Canada in 2020; Chair, Government of Canada National Agri-Food Strategy Roundtable; Chair of the SME Advisory Board for Canada’s Trade Minister; Chair, Executive Committee, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada; the Board of Pulse Canada and as Board Chair of Economic Development Regina as well as a panel member for the Government of Canada’s renewal of Canada’s Global Commerce Strategy and the Advisory Committee for the Review of the Canada Transportation Act for the Minister of Transport. Murad’s current Board appointments include the Canadian Pulse and Special Crops Trade Association, the Protein Industries Canada Supercluster, the Century Initiative and the Board of Directors of Saudi Arabia Milling Company, the recently privatized flour mills of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Murad is also a graduate of the Rottman Institute of Corporate Directors ICD course.

Murad is a passionate advocate of Canadian agriculture speaking extensively on the opportunities and challenges facing the Canada’s agriculture sector. Murad is also passionate about entrepreneurs, championing compassionate entrepreneurism and working to expand female, youth and First Nations participation in business start-ups, advocating the role of entrepreneurs in driving social change and innovation in the new global economy.

Murad’s awards include the 2021 ABEX Business Leader of the Year, 2020 Globe & Mail “Innovator CEO of the Year”, the 2021 Canadian Western Agribition “CWA Top 50 in Canadian Agriculture”, the 2017 Saskatchewan Order of Merit, a University of Regina Honorary Degree, the 2017 “Oslo Business for Peace” Honouree, 2017 EY “World Entrepreneur of the Year”, 2016 UN Association of Canada “Global Citizen Laureate”, PROFITGuide Magazine’s “30 Most Fabulous Entrepreneurs of the Past 30 Years” list, Globe & Mail “Canada’s Top 40 under 40” and the Western Producer “44 Innovators Who Shaped Prairie Agriculture”.

As the co-founder and CEO of Promise Robotics, Ramtin brings more than 16 years of leadership experience in helping the building industry to innovate and adopt new technologies for better productivity and sustainability. Ramtin is a mission-driven leader with a deep passion for positively impacting our communities and advancing the industries. He brings a unique blend of expertise in the development of deep tech, real estate, operational savviness, and corporate strategy.

Prior to founding Promise Robotics, Ramtin was a founding member of Autodesk Research, where he assumed several key leadership roles during his 13 years career at Autodesk. As the former Head of Autodesk Technology Centre in Canada, Ramtin was responsible for the strategic vision, implementation and operationalization of Autodesk’s new flagship R&D center located at the MaRS Discovery in Toronto; and the first AI-assisted office design in large scale housing 200 employees, in addition to a state-of-art prototyping facility for technology startups. At a different capacity, Ramtin was a Distinguished Research Scientist at Autodesk as he led the development of core technology visions and strategies, including Autodesk Moonshots in Industrialized Construction and Autodesk’s new AI & Robotics activities in EMEA. A technical savvy CEO, Ramtin is also an inventor and holds multiple patents related to BIM, IoT, Digital Twin, and Simulation technologies.

Chris Barry is the President of Microsoft Canada responsible for leading a world-class team who delivers transformative outcomes for Canadians. Through Microsoft’s partner ecosystem, citizenship efforts and employee engagement programs, Chris’s objective is to empower every person and organization across Canada to achieve more.

A veteran of the technology sector and proven transformational leader, Chris has over 20 years of experience at Microsoft and has held many leadership roles in sales and marketing for both Enterprise and Partner Groups in US, Canada and Globally. In his most recent role, Chris has been the Chief Operating Officer for Microsoft’s Industry Solutions business where he was responsible for defining strategies to maximize impact for top industry accounts and scaling solutions through partner ecosystems and worldwide sales teams.

Chris is passionate about driving meaningful and lasting relationships, building diverse and inclusive teams, and driving positive organizational outcomes. Chris believes culture is a powerful differentiator and delivering outstanding customer service requires leadership that emphasizes achievement, impeccable service, and problem solving through autonomy and inventiveness.

Chris is a member of the TECHNATION Board of Directors and resides in Oakville with his wife and teenage daughter.

Ana Bailão is the head of affordable housing and public affairs for Dream Unlimited Corp. She is a municipal leader and housing expert, former Deputy Mayor of Toronto, long-time City Councillor, and former candidate for mayor.

After establishing a successful career in the private sector Ana was first elected to City Council in 2010. In her 12 year tenure at Toronto City Hall she served on multiple committees, and represented Toronto at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, achieving national recognition for her work as one of Canada’s leading voices for city-building and housing. As the Chair of Toronto Community Housing and the city’s inaugural Chair of Housing and Planning Ana secured unprecedented billions in investment from other governments for housing, and championed innovative solutions including historic planning and zoning changes, and established CreateTO to manage city real estate.

In 2023 Ana placed a solid second in the largest by-election in Canada’s history with a strong campaign for mayor focused on housing and city services. Today, Ana remains focused on making cities more livable and inclusive, working with partners across all sectors and regions.

Adam is a first term Member of Parliament representing Simcoe North (Ontario). Adam is the shadow minister for Canada Revenue and is a member of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance. Prior to the election Adam worked at one of Canada’s largest life insurance companies, primarily focusing on wealth and insurance distribution in Canada. Previously, Adam served as director of policy to Canada’s Minister of Finance, Jim Flaherty and practised law briefly at a full-service firm in Toronto. In 2012, Adam co-founded an online exam testing business, which has prepared nearly 15,000 law students to write the bar in Ontario.

Adam graduated from Western University with a JD/MBA and lives in Midland with Jane and their two children.

Ehren Cory is the CEO of the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), an impact investor deploying capital to develop the next generation of infrastructure Canadians need. He is a recognized leader in sustainable finance and infrastructure investing in Canada.

Ehren joined the CIB in 2020, bringing his infrastructure expertise and track record of delivering results by partnering with the private and public sectors. He is focused on the CIB’s strategic direction to accelerate infrastructure investment in Canada, and building the CIB as a sustainable, results-oriented organization.

Prior to joining the CIB, Ehren was the CEO of Infrastructure Ontario, a Provincial Crown Agency responsible for financing, building and increasing the value of the province’s infrastructure and real estate assets. He became CEO in 2017 after spending four years in executive roles in the organization. Between 2001 and 2012, Ehren was a partner at McKinsey & Company in Toronto, where he was a leader in the Public Sector and Capital Projects practices, advising clients in both the private and public sectors.

Ehren is involved in a number of Canadian and international organizations tackling sustainability in relation to financing infrastructure, including the Institute for Sustainable Finance at Queen’s University and the Sustainable Finance Action Council. He also serves on the boards of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships and Unity Health Toronto.

Ehren graduated with distinction from the MBA program at INSEAD, in Fontainebleau, France. He also received an Honours degree in Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario.

Penny Favel joined the Hydro One team in October of 2020 as Vice-President Indigenous Relations, a role integral to the execution of our corporate strategy and in particular, becoming a Trusted Partner for Indigenous communities. In 2023 she became the Vice-President Indigenous Relations and Sustainability, and was appointed as the CEO and President of Hydro One Remote Communities Inc.

Under Penny’s leadership, Hydro One developed a strategic approach to Indigenous Relations, based on a clear vision and principles to address meaningful Reconciliation. Penny has worked across the organization to achieve meaningful change and set new
targets that help the organization achieve its strategic priorities for Reconciliation. In 2021, Penny led the development of the industry leading First Nations Equity Partnership model for all new major Transmission Projects, which offers 50% equity on all new Transmission lines over $100 million, and meaningful opportunities to work in partnership with Indigenous communities through procurement, project committees and training.

Prior to joining Hydro One, Penny held senior roles in the energy sector as Vice-President of Environment, Land and Indigenous Relations, as well as Sustainability in Canada and the US. Penny was raised in Saskatchewan and attended the University of Saskatchewan for both her undergraduate and law degrees. She had a 20-year career in law, primarily serving as a commercial construction lawyer in Alberta before moving into Stakeholder and
Indigenous Relations.

The Honourable Sean Fraser was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Central Nova in 2015. He now serves as the Minister of Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. He has previously served as Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and to the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance, and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. In 2021, he also served concurrently as Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister.

Prior to entering politics, Sean built a successful legal practice as a commercial litigator with one of Canada’s top-ranked law firms, and studied international law under a Judge of the International Court of Justice and a Former Secretary-General of NATO as part of his Master’s Program in The Hague in the Netherlands. He also spent time working as a human rights lawyer for marginalized groups and individuals in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Minister Fraser grew up in Pictou County Nova Scotia, where he and his wife, Sarah, are raising their young family.

Chief Sharleen Gale has dedicated six years of service as a board member with FNMPC, assuming the role of Board Chair in 2017. Her unwavering commitment to her community, Fort Nelson First Nation, spans over 14 years serving in the esteemed positions of both Chief and Councillor since 2009. In her capacity as Chief, she champions a future where every member of her Nation collaborates towards achieving strength, pride, health, and self-reliance.

She is the grand-daughter of Fred Burke and Madeline Needlay. Her roots run deep in the lives of her people and she enjoys being on the land with her family exploring the territory and teaching her son the traditional ways on the lands and how to hunt, fish, and gather medicines and berries. As a leader and Chief of the Nation, she understands the importance of upholding the spirit and intent of the treaty by asserting her peoples’ rights to their land and taking responsibility for ensuring that our future generations are able to live their lives in their territory in a way that honours their ancestors.

Chief Gale brings a wealth of experience garnered from her extensive tenure in the oil and gas sector, the corporate realm, and various leadership roles. This rich background informs her invaluable contributions in shaping the aspirations of the Fort Nelson First Nation, both at the Council table and as the Chair of the Dehtai Corporation—the Nation’s economic development corporation driving prosperity.

Throughout her tenure as Chief, Chief Gale has overseen significant milestones in her community’s development, including the realization of a geothermal electricity project, a pivotal partnership in a major renewable energy endeavor, the acquisition of the largest Indigenous woodlot license in British Columbia and partnership with the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality in securing the largest community forest in the province. Notably, in 2020, Chief Gale served as the sole Indigenous member on the Premier’s Economic Recovery Task Force for the Province of BC, showcasing her dedication to inclusive economic growth.

In 2023, Chief Gale further expanded her reach by joining the Canada Electricity Advisory Council, entrusted with the mission to provide counsel to the Minister of Natural Resources. Her role entails accelerating investments and advancing sustainable, affordable, and reliable electricity systems for the betterment of all Canadians.

Ray has previously served in several deputy minister positions since joining the public service 17 years ago.

Before joining the Alberta government, Ray worked for the City of Medicine Hat and spent 15 years in the banking and financial services industry. Ray is a CPA and graduated with a masters of business administration and a bachelor of science in agriculture.

John Hannaford was named the 25th Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet on June 24, 2023.

Prior to becoming Clerk, John served as Deputy Minister of Natural Resources Canada, from 2022 to 2023, where he helped advance some of the government’s signature clean energy initiatives.
He contributed to the public service for the preceding two decades representing the Canadian government on key international files, from free trade to foreign and defence policy.

After graduating from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in history, he earned a Master of Science in international relations at the London School of Economics, before completing a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Toronto.

John joined the federal public service’s Department of Foreign Affairs as a newly minted lawyer in 1995, working on a range of issues including maritime jurisdictions, environmental law and trade.
His following career included being Deputy Minister of International Trade at Global Affairs Canada from 2019–2022, after having served in several high-profile senior leadership positions in the public service, including:
• Foreign and Defence Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister (2015–2019);
• Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet of Foreign and Defence Policy in the Privy Council Office (2012–2015); and
• Ambassador of Canada to Norway (2009–2012).
John’s first act as Clerk was to launch a broad discussion on public service values and ethics to ensure the civil service is equipped to serve Canadians’ changing needs in today’s dynamic and increasingly complex environment.
He believes the values of the public service are the cornerstone of our democracy and the compass to ensure “the peace, order and good government” it provides remain relevant and real to every Canadian, every day.

He is married to Anne Lawson. Together they have two adult children.

Simon Kennedy was named Deputy Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) in September 2019. He has led ISED’s response to the global pandemic, working with industry to pivot towards the production of medical supplies and to build up Canadian biomanufacturing capacity, and rolling out new programs to aid businesses affected by lockdowns. He has overseen an ambitious recovery agenda at ISED, partnering with companies to support innovation and industrial transformation, taking steps to overhaul economic legislation, support underrepresented entrepreneurs and small businesses, advance Canadian science and research, and roll out the largest investments in broadband in the country’s history.

Previously, he served as Deputy Minister of Health. During his tenure, the Department assumed a national leadership role in responding to the opioids crisis; negotiated new funding with the provinces and territories for home care and mental health services; and launched major reforms to pharmaceutical pricing, nutrition labelling, vaping, and tobacco packaging. Mr. Kennedy also oversaw Health Canada’s implementation of the government’s initiative to legalize and regulate cannabis.

Mr. Kennedy has served in a variety of progressively senior roles in seven different federal organizations, including in six deputy minister-level appointments. He was the Prime Minister’s personal representative, or “Sherpa”, to the G-20 from 2012 to 2014. He has degrees from Mount Saint Vincent University and Syracuse University, and is a graduate of INSEAD’s Advanced Management Programme. Mr. Kennedy has been a member of the board of a variety of organizations, including the Canadian Tourism Commission, Canadian Institute for Health Information, Mental Health Commission of Canada, and Ottawa Community Foundation, among others. He co-chairs the Ottawa Chapter of the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Laura Lee Langley is the Deputy Minister of the Office of the Nova Scotia Premier, Deputy Minister of Treasury Board, Clerk of the Executive Council, Public Service Commissioner, and Head of the Nova Scotia Public Service.

After more than 15 years as a journalist, she began her decades-long career in the public service. Laura Lee has demonstrated success in engaging employees while working in complex systems, tackling wicked problems, and driving a whole-of-government, citizen centered approach to developing public policy. She has an interest in transforming how we work in the
Westminster model of government while advancing the modernization of the public service.

Laura Lee is a sought-after speaker on leadership, workplace communication and leading in complex systems, and is a certified facilitator in understanding and seeing organizational systems. She has a Master of Public Administration from Dalhousie University (2002), and a Master of Arts in Leadership from Royal Roads University (2015).

Laura Lee has served as a board member for various professional and community organizations and is a known advocate for diversity and inclusion. She has been recognized by the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission as a Champion of the Workplace, and in 2018 she was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women as a strategic and engaging
public sector leader.

Dr. Victoria Lee is the President & CEO of Fraser Health where she leads the overall management and delivery of health programs and services in one of the largest and fastest-growing health networks in Canada. Dr. Lee also sits on PPF’s panel of health experts.

Jaimie is the Senior Vice-President of CIBC’s Indigenous Markets team. With twelve years of experience servicing Indigenous clients in the legal market, Jaimie joined CIBC in 2020. She leads our Indigenous Trust Services and Indigenous Commercial Banking teams and advises on our enterprise-wide Indigenous strategy in the areas of retail and business banking. Jaimie brings both personal and professional knowledge to our mission to provide accessible and innovative banking solutions for Indigenous clients. She also works closely with our Diversity and Inclusion team at CIBC to ensure positive banking experiences for all of our clients and is the co-chair of our Reconciliation Action Commitee. Jaimie is Onondaga and a member of the Six Nations of the Grand River.

Anishinaabekwe mixed settler, Deanna is a member of Sachigo Lake First Nation, and grew up exploring the Rockies from Amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton, AB). She is currently the Vice President of Policy and Research at Gakino’amaage: Teach For Canada. Her passion for equitable education and social policy stems from her work running Mikinakoos Children’s Fund in coordination with the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority. Prior to joining Gakino’amaage: Teach For Canada, Deanna worked as a Policy Analyst in the Privy Council Office, and with Health Canada’s Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program. She is concurrently a SSHRC Doctoral Scholar studying First Nations education governance at Western University, and completing a Master of Public Health in Indigenous Health at the University of Toronto. Deanna is a 2022-23 Action Canada Fellow.

Dan O’Brien is Chief Economist of the Institute of International and European Affairs, one of Ireland’s leading think tanks. He is also Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at University College Dublin’s Geary Institute and a regular media commentator on economic and public policy issues.

For three years from mid-2010 Dan was economics editor of the Irish Times, analysing and commenting on a wide range of Irish, European and global issues. Prior to that he spent a dozen years, based in London and Geneva, as senior economist and editor at the Economist Intelligence Unit, an arm of The Economist Newspaper Group. Dan has also worked for the European Commission and as a consultant for the United Nations and Forfas, an Irish government in-house think tank.

As CEO of DIGITAL, Sue leads a portfolio of digital innovation and capacity-building initiatives that in its first five years has accelerated the production of over 530 Canadian IP assets, over $900 million in follow-on investment in Canadian companies, created over 11,000 learning and development placements and is on track to drive $4.2 billion in incremental revenue for Canadian companies over the next five years. By accelerating digital transformation in the health, natural resources and skilling sectors, through the development and deployment of Canadian made digital technologies, DIGITAL is supporting world-leading solutions that advance human health, improve environmental health, and create a skilled workforce for the digital world.

Prior to leading DIGITAL, Sue held leadership roles in major Canadian organizations including as CEO of LifeLabs, Canada’s largest diagnostic lab where she led major growth and technological advancements across Canada’s diagnostic sector. As CEO of Pharmasave, Sue led the delivery of some of the first online access tools for medication information for patients and as the first woman Managing Partner of Fasken Vancouver, Sue spearheaded the merger of three Canadian law firms into a national leading firm across three continents.
Sue serves on the Boards of TELUS International, Canadian Tire, and Own the Podium and has previously chaired the Business Council of BC and the Vancouver Board of Trade. She has received recognitions for her community and professional contributions including the Order of British Columbia, King’s Counsel, Honorary Doctorate of Technology, Influential Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award, YWCA Women of Distinction, and the Peter Lougheed Award for Public Policy. Sue’s greatest joy is spending time in Canada’s wilderness with her husband, daughters and granddaughters.

Shannon Salter is Deputy Minister to the Premier, Cabinet Secretary and Head of the BC Public Service. She previously served as Deputy Attorney General and Deputy Minister Responsible for Housing for British Columbia. Prior to that role, Shannon was the Chair of the Civil Resolution Tribunal, Canada’s first online tribunal resolving small claims, condominium disputes, and motor vehicle accident disputes for almost 8 years. She is also an adjunct professor at the UBC Allard School of Law, teaching administrative law and legal ethics and professional regulation. She earned her BA and LLB from UBC, and her LLM from the University of Toronto. Ms. Salter was a BC Supreme Court judicial law clerk before practicing civil litigation at a large Vancouver firm. She has served as a vice chair of the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal, vice president of the BC Council of Administrative Tribunals, a director of the BC Financial Services Authority and a Law Society of British Columbia disciplinary hearing panel member. She is a board member of the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII).

In 2021 Ms. Salter was named an ABA LRTC Women of Legal Tech Honouree, and was previously named one of the 25 Top Most Influential Lawyers in Canada, one of Canada’s New Law Pioneers by the Canadian Bar Association and an Access to Justice All-Star by the National Self-Represented Litigants Project (NSLAP). She received the Adam Albright award for outstanding teaching by an adjunct professor in 2016. Ms. Salter is also a fellow of the National Centre for Technology and Dispute Resolution at the University of Massachusetts and a visiting professor at the Sir Zelman Cowan Centre in Victoria University in Melbourne. Ms. Salter is a frequent speaker at international conferences on online dispute resolution, administrative law, legal education, and the future of law and technology.

Mikal Skuterud is a Full Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of
Waterloo, Director of the Canadian Labour Economics Forum (CLEF), Fellow-in-Residence
and Roger Phillips Scholar of Social Policy at the C.D. Howe Institute, and a Research Fellow
at the Institute of Labor Economics (IZA). He received his Master’s degree in Economics from
the University of British Columbia and his Ph.D. in Economics from McMaster University.
His research interests include: the labour market integration of immigrants, labour market
policies that influence hours of work, and the economics of trade unions. His work has
appeared in the American Economic Review, the Journal of Labor Economics, and the
Canadian Journal of Economics, and has received national media coverage in the New York
Times and the Globe and Mail.

Scott is the Founder and CEO of Venture for Canada (VFC), a national charity that fosters entrepreneurial skills and mindsets in young Canadians. VFC’s programs recruit, train, and support young Canadians to work at Canadian small and medium sized businesses (SMEs). Through these programs, young people gain the skills, networks, and experiences to be more entrepreneurial and impactful. In 2023, VFC had an annual operating budget of approximately $14 million and 35 full-time employees. Likewise, VFC supported approximately 4,200 work-integrated-learning experiences for young people at 1,000 Canadian SMEs.

Scott has been recognized as the 2018 Telus LGBTQ Innovator of The Year by The Inspire Awards, a 2019 Young Impact Leader by Future of Good, a 2022 Changemaker by The Globe and Mail, a 2022-2023 Action Canada Fellow by The Public Policy Forum, a 2023 Emerging Leader by The Peak, and an Ashoka Fellow. He is active in the community and is a Member of the Board of Directors of Canadian Centre for Housing Rights as well as The Speech and Debate Canada Foundation.

Kaylie Tiessen is an economist and policy analyst at Unifor where she focusses on issues relating to the future of work and macro economic policy. She leads the unions research relating to aerospace and heavy vehicle manufacturing and air transportation. Prior to joining Unifor Kaylie held positions in anti-poverty, strategy and research. Kaylie applies her research efforts to questions related to resilience and equity, authoring papers relating to a future of work that is good for workers and how to create and promote a prosperous and equitable Canada.

Trevor Tombe is a Professor and Graduate Program Director at the University of Calgary’s Department of Economics and a Research Fellow at The School of Public Policy. He received his PhD in Economics from the University of Toronto. His research explores a broad set of topics from international trade to public finances and fiscal federalism. He has published in top economics journals, is co-author of the textbook Public Finance in Canada, co-editor of the recent volume Fiscal Federalism in Canada, and is Co-Director of Finances of the Nation. In addition to his academic work, he actively advises various governments on wide range of issues and is an active contributor to Canadian policy development and discussions through regular op-eds, articles, and active media engagement.

CAROLYN WILKINS is a senior research scholar at Princeton University’s Griswold Center for Economic Policy, where she is a lecturer in the Department of Economics. She is also an external member of the Financial Policy Committee at the Bank of England and serves on the board of directors of Canada’s Intact Financial Corporation. She is a mentor to fintech entrepreneurs at the Creative Destruction Lab (HEC).

Wilkins worked for twenty years at the Bank of Canada, and served as Senior Deputy Governor from 2014 to 2020. She has contributed to international financial regulation, including as a member of the Financial Stability Board and the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. In 2022-23, she was one of three panelists leading the external review of the Reserve Bank of Australia. Wilkins earned her MA from the University of Western Ontario and her BA from Wilfrid Laurier University, both in economics. She received an Honorary Doctorate from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2022. She was named as a winner of Canada’s Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network in 2016 and 2018.

Rupa Banerjee is Associate Professor of Human Resource Management at Toronto Metropolitan University, and Canadian Research Chair of Economic Inclusion, Employment and Entrepreneurship of Canada’s Immigrants. Her research examines employment outcomes of newcomers, a topic on which she has published extensively. Her research interests also include diversity and ethno-racial discrimination in the workplace. Dr. Banerjee’s current program of research focuses on the role of post-secondary institutions and employers on the migration and labour market integration of temporary residents and immigrants in Canada.

Katie has spent nearly 20 years in roles that blend communications, politics, public policy and research. Her career began in Canadian federal politics where she held roles in the office of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Official Opposition and the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre. Following her start in Ottawa, Katie moved to Toronto to work for a large public opinion research firm before heading west to Vancouver where she advocated for small business, got involved in municipal politics and worked in communications for a management consultancy. 

Internationally, Katie’s experience includes roles in Ghana, Northern Ireland, Algeria and Georgia. Most recently, as a consultant with the National Democratic Institute, she observed and analyzed elections and provided training to campaign workers, candidates and elected officials. She has also observed elections in Ukraine with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Prior to joining Hill & Knowlton in January 2024, Katie was Director of Policy at the Public Policy Forum.

Brett House is Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia Business School and Senior Fellow with the Munk School and Massey College at the University of Toronto.

Previously, Brett was Vice-President and Deputy Chief Economist at Scotiabank. Prior to joining Scotiabank in October 2016, Brett was Chief Economist at Alignvest Investment Management in Toronto and Global Strategist at Woodbine Capital Advisors, a New York-based global macro fund. Earlier in his career, Brett served as Principal Advisor in the Executive Office of the United Nations Secretary-General and as an Economist at the International Monetary Fund. He cut his teeth in financial markets at Goldman Sachs International in London and at the World Bank in Washington, DC. Brett is a Rhodes Scholar with degrees in economics from the University of Oxford and Queen’s University at Kingston. In addition, he has taught at Oxford University, McGill University, and the University of Cape Town, and has held research roles at Columbia University and Massey College.

Brett has served on the investment committees of the boards of Pearson College, Massey College, and the Canadian Rhodes Scholars’ Foundation. He is additionally a member of the boards of the Canadian Association for Business Economics (CABE) and The 519, Toronto’s municipal organization dedicated to advocacy for the inclusion of LGBTQ+ communities. He received the 2014 Québec Notable Award in Finance, the 2015 Good Citizen Award from his hometown of Lincoln, Ontario, and the 2018 Professional Leader Award from Start Proud. Brett was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum (Davos) and one of 100 top global LGBT+ executives by INvolve & Yahoo Finance. Brett is also a Life Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and holds the ICD.D designation from Canada’s Institute of Corporate Directors.

Zi-Ann Lum covers Canadian federal politics and energy and trade policy for POLITICO, POLITICO Pro Canada and helps write POLITICO’s Ottawa Playbook newsletter.

Prior to joining POLITICO, Zi-Ann was a reporter and editor with HuffPost Canada for nearly a decade. Previously based in Vancouver and Toronto, she has covered everything from breaking news to the minutiae of parliamentary committee meetings and has written award-nominated investigative features. Her coverage of the Senate’s handling of allegations of workplace harassment and sexual abuse led to a public apology and settlement for victims.

Zi-Ann is a graduate of the University of British Columbia. She lives in Ottawa with her parka.

Shingai is the Head of AI Education at ChainML where she works with clients on AI education, adoption, and implementation. Shingai takes clients from an AI product idea to an affordable and scalable deployment. A seasoned data scientist, Shingai has a background in retail analytics, generating data insights to top tier manufacturers and retailers, and she has led technical education at the Vector Institute for AI. Shingai is also the founder of Fireside Analytics Inc., an online data science education company. Over half a million learners have taken her courses on platforms such as IBM and Coursera. Shingai sits on a number of boards and advisory committees, and she is an award-winning speaker and children’s book author.

The Honourable Lisa Raitt joined CIBC Capital Markets in January 2020, having previously worked in both the public and private sectors. Ms. Raitt’s current focus is on senior client coverage and business development with clients in the energy, infrastructure and industrial sectors, which align closely with her deep expertise.

Prior to her current role, Ms. Raitt was the President and CEO of the Toronto Port Authority. She was elected into the House of Commons in 2008, where she went on to hold three senior portfolios serving as Minister of Natural Resources, Minister of Labour, and Minister of Transport. Most recently, Ms. Raitt was the Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition and the Conservative Party of Canada.

Ms. Raitt holds a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Francis Xavier University and a master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Guelph. She possesses an LL.B from Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the Ontario bar in 1998. In 2020 Ms. Raitt was named a Woodrow Wilson Center Global Fellow of the Canada Institute. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Coalition for a Better Future.

Sean Speer is currently Fellow in Residence and Prime Minister of Canada Fellow at the Public Policy Forum. He is also an assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. He previously served as a senior economic adviser to former Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Luiza Ch. Savage is an executive editor at POLITICO, an international news organization focused on politics and policy. Based in the Washington, D.C., area, she focuses on growing POLITICO’s digital journalism across video, audio, live events, newsletters, and thought-leadership. Luiza was responsible for the creation of POLITICO Canada, which now includes the daily Ottawa Playbook and POLITICO Pro Canada, an intelligence service for policy professionals. She is a Jefferson Fellow at the East-West Center and a Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. Prior to joining POLITICO, Luiza was the Washington, D.C. bureau chief for Maclean’s, the national weekly news magazine of Canada. In that role, she covered several presidential elections, wrote and produced two television documentaries about Canada-U.S. relations, and was a regular commentator on television and radio news programs. She previously worked as a reporter for the New York Sun, the National Post, and the Ottawa Citizen. Luiza was born in Poland and grew up in Calgary and Ottawa. She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard College and a master’s degree from Yale Law School, where she was a Knight Foundation journalism fellow. She is married to New York Times reporter Charlie Savage; they have two children.

Heather crafts and pursues the strategic priorities of the Council in collaboration with her Council colleagues and members. Her focus is finding practical solutions to the major economic and growth challenges of our time – competitiveness, climate and a constantly changing workforce.

Previously, Heather spent 30 years in journalism, covering economics, policy and politics at the Toronto Star, The Canadian Press and the Globe and Mail. She has a Masters degree in journalism and an undergraduate degree in International Relations.

Sara-Christine Gemson has worked in journalism, communications, and non-profit management.

She was previously Vice-President of Programs and Director Communications at Teach For Canada, a non-profit that partners with remote First Nations to recruit, prepare and support educators.

Sara-Christine also worked as a TV, radio and digital journalist for many years, primarily for Radio-Canada in Toronto and Regina. She was also an Aga Khan journalism fellow in Kenya, where she wrote for the Daily Nation.

Sara-Christine completed a B.A. in Philosophy and Communications at the University of Ottawa and an M.Phil in Comparative Government at Oxford University. She is an Action Canada alumna.

Kathleen Gnocato is the Vice-President, Strategic Engagement at the Public Policy Forum. In this role, Kathleen works with public, private, non-profit, and philanthropic partners around Canada’s critical policy challenges and developments. Throughout her career, Kathleen has been passionate about convening stakeholders to address complex problems, and positioning Canada as a leader on the world stage.

Kathleen was most recently Senior Director for Corporate Innovation at the MaRS Discovery District, where she was responsible for establishing strategic partnerships with medium-large organizations to accelerate the adoption of innovative technologies and business models. She worked to bridge the divide between these organizations and 1,300+ Canadian ventures, to address market challenges such as decarbonization. Kathleen is schooled in the design, build, and financing of high quality, measurable and results-oriented initiatives involving such sectors as business, academia, and government. She has worked across sectors such as energy, health, finance, and enterprise, and across jurisdictions, leading projects across Canada, in New York, California, Chile, Colombia, and Japan.

Kathleen’s professional background includes an advisory role at Canada’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York and collaborative projects for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing. Kathleen was also the Director of the Global Ideas Institute based out of the Munk School of Global Affairs.

Kathleen holds a Master’s of Global Affairs from the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and a BAH from Queen’s University.

Outside of her professional roles, Kathleen is active in the volunteer sector with the Pembina unGALA, the Masomo Education Foundation (which operates in Zambia), the Hospital for Sick Children, and the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada.

Edward Greenspon has worked at the intersection of journalism and public policy for more than 30 years. Before becoming President & CEO of the Public Policy Forum, Ed was a journalist with The Globe and Mail, Bloomberg News and newspapers in Western Canada. He is also the author of two books on Canadian politics, policy and public opinion.

At the Globe, Ed specialized in politics, economics, foreign affairs and business while serving as Editor-in-Chief, Ottawa bureau chief, European correspondent and managing editor of the Report on Business. He was an early proponent of digital transformation as founding editor of globeandmail.com.

At Bloomberg News, he was Editor-at-Large for Canada and global managing editor for energy, environment and commodities, a group situated in 22 countries on six continents.

Ed is the author of Double Vision: The Inside Story of the Liberals in Power, which won the 1996 Douglas Purvis Award for best public policy book, and of Searching for Certainty: Inside the New Canadian Mindset. He was a winner of PPF’s Hyman Solomon Award for Excellence in Public Policy Journalism. In 2010, he chaired a 13-person panel for the Canadian International Council that produced a bold international policy strategy called Open Canada: A Global Positioning Strategy for a Networked Age.

Ed holds a combined honours degree in journalism and political science from Carleton University and was a Commonwealth Scholar at the London School of Economics, earning an M.Sc. (Econ.) with distinction.